Austin City Limits 2018: Festival Survival Guide

Austin City Limits Music Festival takes over Zilker Park in Austin,TX for 2 back to back weekends every October.Here is a list of festival dos and don’ts for next time!

DO

Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. It is still hot and humid in Texas in October. Throughout the day I witnessed multiple people getting carried out of a crowd due to dehydration. Unfortunately, they lost their spot and missed their favorite artists. ACL starts before noon each day and doesn’t wrap up until 10pm. That is a LONG time to go without water. Bring an empty, refillable water bottle, like this one from HydroFlask or a Camelbak and refill for free at one of the many Hydration Stations on the grounds.

DON’T

Don’t forget sunscreen! The festival has Bodegas set up throughout the grounds with snacks, medicine and little essentials you might have forgotten, but they do upcharge! A small travel size bottle of sunscreen was $5! Make sure you lather before you leave the house.

DO

ACL has an app, DOWNLOAD IT! This will be your best friend the whole weekend. The app included a map of the grounds, food menus so you can decided what you want to eat BEFORE you get in line. The app also includes artist lineups and set times, and there is a feature where you can make your own lineup based on the artists you want to see. There were 8 stages this year, keeping track of all your favorite artists can be difficult.

DON’T

Ladies, this one is for you. Don’t wear HEELS! I know they look cute and match your outfit way more than Nike’s but you will thank me later on this one. I wore flat shoes all 3 days and my feet still hurt come Monday morning. You are standing ALL DAY. Choose comfort when it comes to your feet and stick to festival fashion for the rest of your look. Sandals are OK, but check the weather. The event is rain or shine and when it rains, your fairgrounds become deep, watery mud puddles.

DO

For artists you want to see, arrive at least 30 minutes before set time, and for the biggest artist 1-2 hours before to claim their spot. Some Travis Scott fans arrived at 11am! Keep an eye on each stage to see when they start filling up so you can make sure you have optimal viewing.

DON’T

Push through the crowd! Respect your fellow concert goers, you are all there for the same reason. Even if you can squeeze your way closer, no one wants to be packed in like a sardine while you are trying to dance and have a good time. Also, it gets SWEATY. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like my personal bubble to be popped! If you arrive to the stage and the crowd is already full, hang back and watch from the massive screens. That’s what they are there for and it will be much more enjoyable from further back at that point. Remember, phones and arms go up once the performer comes on which can make it hard to see from up close as well.

DO

Your favorite artist just came out on stage, you grab your phone and boom – it’s dead. You took too many selfies while you were waiting. Solution? Bring an external battery. I got one at Marshall’s for $20 that will charge my phone 6x with one single charge of the battery. I used it all weekend and my phone never died!

Most importantly, DO dance your face off and make a ton of memories! Festivals are the best place to make new friends and celebrate the ones you are with all well watching some amazing performances. Have fun!